


Fated Souls

by lieano



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: M/M, Parallel Universes, Xanlow Week 2016
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-28
Updated: 2016-09-30
Packaged: 2018-08-18 06:36:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8152495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lieano/pseuds/lieano
Summary: “I promise that no matter what life we are living, what world we are inhabiting, I will always find you and I will always love you.”
A series of short stories taking place in different universes written for Xanlow Week 2016.





	1. Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laslow and Xander rarely have any alone time anymore, so they have to use it wisely. Birthright route.

Laslow didn’t mind when Xander stepped on his toes, and he wouldn’t draw attention to it if he could help it. So when an unfiltered yelp escaped his throat after a particularly rough crunch of boots over his delicate digits, he felt instantly guilty. So did Xander by the look on his face. Though his was a look laden with extra concern. Which just made Laslow feel guiltier.

“Did I hurt you?” Xander flinched away immediately, his hands lifting away from where they had been resting on Laslow’s hip and palm.

“No,” Laslow said quickly. He took a small step forward to bridge a little bit of the distance Xander had made between them, but only enough to show that he was serious. “I’m fine, really. You just startled me, I promise.”

Xander was skeptical for a moment longer, and it showed in the compressed skin between his eyebrows. But he let himself breathe a little after Laslow’s gaze remained unshakeable and the retainer grinned in relief. “I’m so sorry, Laslow. My lack of skill is causing you nothing but trouble.” He had finally relaxed his arms, laying his hands on either of Laslow’s shoulders. His thumbs idly rubbed the fabric there, but his eyes were still cast to the side remorsefully.

“That’s not true. I’m enjoying this lessons very much actually,” Laslow reassured. He tried to be gentle but firm in his delivery. “Besides, you are really coming along. Your stance has significantly improved since last we practiced.”

Xander’s scowl remained hard on his face. “The improvement is not happening as quickly as I prefer.” He paused but only for a second, and when he returned to his train of thought his voice was lower, more intimate. “We don’t have a lot of alone time. I want to perfect this dance before…”

Laslow took the fading in speech as an invitation to move closer. He pressed his body up against Xander's and reached up to cup the prince’s face in his hands. He presented the blonde with one of his award winning smiles. “You’re frustrated. Perhaps we should practice a different kind of dance for a moment.”

As soon as their lips came together, Laslow pushed his hands past Xander’s cheeks and into his hair. He gripped and tried to deepen the kiss but Xander, who was still holding his shoulders, slowly pried him away. Laslow tried not to pout but didn’t completely succeed.

“Distractions are not going to help. We should continue to practice.”

“We haven’t even announced our engagement. What makes you think we should spend this precious alone time practicing a wedding dance we won’t even perform for perhaps a few more years?”

Xander contemplated the question for an agonizing few seconds, then whispered, “I just want it to be perfect.”

Laslow wanted to tell Xander that he already was perfect. He wanted to tell him that the private dance lessons in Xander’s room, like this one, were perfect despite the frequent foot injury. He wanted Xander to know that even if he stepped on his toes the evening of their wedding it would be a perfect moment. Because every moment spent with Xander and the promise of a future amidst such war and destruction was all Laslow could even ask for. But that was far too embarrassing to say outloud. So when Laslow went in for that kiss that he rightfully deserved, he made it clear in his body language that it was in Xander’s best interest to not pull away this time.

Usually when they practiced the traditional Nohrian wedding dance, Laslow would often keep count or hum softly to help Xander stay on beat. Now, though, the air around them was almost silent. Save for the rustling of their clothes pressed together and the occasional moan of excitement. It wasn’t particularly musical to say the least. Still, Xander tugged his arms around Laslow’s lower back, and Laslow dug deeper into Xander’s hair and they swayed together like that. Their feet hardly moved. It was a subtle dance. One perfectly befitting the sensuality of their lips and tongues rhythmically moving together.

Xander’s tongue, like everything else about him, had an unshakeable resolve. He dove deep into Laslow and moved slowly. It was warm, it was practiced, it filled Laslow up and made him feel wanted. The retainer eagerly rocked the length of his body up against his lord and lover. Xander responded by pulling their mouths part with a muted pop so he could duck even lower and press kisses and nips to Laslow's face, ear, neck.

“So…” Laslow started. He meant for his voice to come out low and even, but it was weak and broken from arousal.

Xander sighed and his breath ghosted across Laslow’s neck. It gave him goosebumps even though he recognized it as an omen for bad news. Xander pulled a half an inch away and said, “I can’t stay.” The fact that HIS voice was low and even was completely unjust, Laslow thought. “I have a war council early tomorrow. The Hoshidan army is advancing toward us quickly.”

“With Lord Corrin at the lead,” Laslow said absently, almost solemnly. It was an unsolicited, depressing thought that slipped through his mouth without filter. As soon as it happened he regretted it. Xander fixed him with a hard look. All of his looks were serious and this was no exception. But it was also sad.

“You need not refer to a traitor with such formality,” he all but growled. “Especially one that would betray his own family.”

What little bit of arousal Laslow had been clinging to was dissipating quickly. “Are you sure there is nothing I can do to help you relax?”

The roughness from Xander’s eyes subsided and he let out a shallow sigh. One of his large, calloused hands cupped Laslow’s face gingerly and the retainer leaned into it. “I’m sorry my love, but you require sleep too. I need you and Peri at your posts bright and early.”

The pout that Laslow thought he was masking must have been a little visible. Xander’s other hand cupped his jaw and he was being pulled up for a gentle, chaste kiss. When it was over, Xander didn’t pull more than an inch away and murmured, “As soon as this war is over and Hoshido is defeated, we will have much more alone time.”

“And we can practice our dance.”

Xander’s chuckle was low and it vibrated through Laslow’s core. “Yes. Gods know I need it.”

Admittedly, their following goodbyes lasted perhaps a bit too long and they might have regretted it a little in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one took place during Birthright so, WOO IMPLIED ANGST FOR THE BEGINNING OF XANLOW WEEK lol
> 
> I have literally never written for the Fire Emblem fandom before so this might be horribly ooc or inaccurate and also I haven’t written a lot in general lately so it may be bad. But I wanna try a ship week and I really really REALY like marxlow so. Hope it wasn't terrible. Thanks for reading. ;*


	2. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Laslow considers if he should return to Ylisse when the war is over, he is faced with a startling realization on the battlefield. Conquest route.

All Laslow had to do was make it through this one battle. One more battle, he hoped, and his duty to this world would be released. He would be able to see his family in Ylisse again. His parents. His home. He had already begun the process of removing himself from Nohr. He’d stopped going into town to visit his favorite teahouses. He’d been avoiding Peri outside of their professional duties. He rarely made eye contact with Xander anymore.

Despite the bloody battle that was undoubtedly waiting for them in Hoshido, Odin and Selena had both made it very clear that they were excited to return home. Of course, it was a bittersweet moment to leave their new lives in Nohr behind, but their bonds in Ylisse were much deeper. Laslow supposed he should be excited too. All of the intentional distancing had put him on edge, though. His bonds in Nohr may not appear as deep on paper, but they felt very strong in his heart. The thought of how badly he would miss this world was heartbreaking and the prospect of his new loved ones missing him in return almost brought him to tears.

On top of the anguish he felt over leaving, the stress of war was weighing on him as well. The morning of their siege on the Hoshido palace he woke with a heavy sense of dread and it only grew as the day went on and the battle began. There was an ominous feeling tugging on his heart that he couldn’t quite explain. He had never been to Hoshido before, but he felt as though this moment in time was familiar. Not the location, just the time. And it felt dreadful, almost as if last time he had been here something bad had happened to a people he loved.

In an attempt to ease the pain when the actual battle began, Laslow found himself sticking near Xander. Of course, he could justify it by saying that he was Xander’s retainer. But that wasn’t the real reason, if he was being honest. Everyone was in danger, but Xander, he felt, was even more so. He hovered a little and ignored the strange feeling swimming in his gut after he had been all but avoiding his liege for the past few weeks.

It wasn’t just Xander, though he was certain the more he pondered on it that something about this moment was trying to grab the Nohrian prince. His gut told him there was another. Two people, at least, that Laslow could lose should fate will it. Because this time was dangerous. Who was the other person? During a moment of reprieve from the battle, he glanced around at his other nearby comrades. Odin and Selena were fairing well. Princess Corrin was making her way through the army of dark monsters valiantly. The rest of the royal family were-

Elise.

He registered it for just a second. It wasn’t a feeling anymore either. It was a monster moving toward the smallest princess. She was fairly close by, crouched on the floor mountless. She was healing a fallen solider, completely unaware of the the sword coming down toward the top of her head.

Laslow didn’t even think. For a moment he was able to tear his will away from Xander and he rushed for her. His sword was slack at his side in his panic. He didn’t have time to plan. He just had to save her. He just had to stop this terrible feeling. The steel blade fell fast and hard on him and he blacked out.

\----

Laslow woke up with a jolt. The realization that he was alive, coupled with the rush of pain all over his body flooded his senses. It took him a moment to catch his breath and calm down but when he did he was able to take in his surroundings. He was in a medical tent. Around him were beds full of both conscious and unconscious people, some being tended to and some resting.

For a moment, panic gripped Laslow as he remembered the war and all his friends fighting in their deadliest battle yet. He suddenly felt completely useless and extremely worried.

Before he could jump out of bed and rush back into the nearest battlefield he could find, he caught sight of the giant guardian slumped in a chair next to him. His heart rate sped up when his gaze locked with Xander’s. The prince’s deep red eyes were glassy with relief, an expression Laslow had never seen his liege wear.

A very quiet moment passed between them as Laslow tried to catch his breath again. Xander was not one to lie through his body language and he looked as though a great burden had just been lifted off of him. Plus, seeing him here in dramatically less armor than he had been wearing lately put Laslow at ease. Finally, Xander handed him a glass of water and said, “The war is over.”

Laslow gratefully accepted the drink and he instantly felt better. “How did we do? It appears I slept through the end of it.” He meant to sound a bit facetious in his tone, but he was certain it came out bitter.

“We won,” Xander said simply, then after a brief pause added, “My father is dead.”

“I’m sorry,” Laslow said solemnly. From what he had been able to observe during his time in Nohr, King Garon was not a just ruler. But family was family and if anyone knew what it was like to lose a parent, it was Laslow.

Xander dismissed the apology with a short wave of his hand which made it clear to Laslow he didn’t want to dwell on the subject. “We defeated the monster possessing his body and he is finally at peace, as are the Kingdoms of Nohr and Hoshido.”

Laslow couldn’t help but sink back into the uncomfortable cot as relief washed through his strained muscles. “That’s wonderful news.”

“Indeed,” Xander agreed with a tired smile. “And now that you are awake I truly feel as though I can celebrate.”

“How long have I been out?” Laslow asked skeptically.

“Two days,” was Xander’s blunt response. “You suffered a major blow to the head and the healers had to keep you asleep with magic while they healed it.”

Laslow was appalled at himself. Two days? He had not only been completely useless for the remainder of the war but he had lost an entire two days of his life. Was he really that weak? The thought made him sick until another, completely different idea struck him. His pale face heated up as he tentatively asked, “Milord... How long have you been here waiting for me to wake up?”

Xander awkwardly cleared his throat and his eyebrows came together in a familiar look of displeasure. “Not as long as I would have cared to. There’s been meetings with Princess Hinoka about the possibility of a peace treaty as soon as she’s coronated as well as cleanup and rebuilding…”

He sounded disappointed in himself, but Laslow’s heart swelled. He knew that the moments Xander spent at his side were precious, since he’s very rarely free from his royal duties. If he was spending his limited free time watching over Laslow, waiting for him to wake up… Laslow was suddenly overcome with emotion. It was as if a dam of feelings in his heart had burst. He remembered why he had built it in the first place. If he was distancing himself from his loved ones in Nohr then Xander would the be the hardest to forget without emotional precautions. He remembered fighting by Xander’s side in the end anyway, unconsciously inclined to keep him safe. And all at once, in a blinding flashback that knocked the wind out of him, he remembered those last few moments before he blacked out.

“Elise!” Laslow suddenly shouted, sitting upright again. He was frantic, tears stinging his eyelids and heart pounding in his ears. “Where is Princess Elise?!”

Xander’s warm smile did not match his retainer’s panic. “You saved her, Laslow. She’s tending the wounded a couple of tents over, alive and well thanks to you.”

Elise was alive. That was all that mattered and for a moment, Laslow clung to that. The ominous feeling he’d had was gone. The world was right again. The war was over.

The war was over... That meant he was going home.

His expression must have soured when the new realization hit him, because Xander reached out with a gentle hand to touch his shoulder. Laslow could feel the tears threatening to break. “Laslow, what is wrong? Speak your mind,” Xander said. His voice was a low and comforting rumble.

It came out a bit more abruptly than Laslow had ever intended. He had talked with Odin and Selena about how they would leave things in Nohr when it was time. He had always imagined he would just disappear. That would the easiest right? Laslow tended to get emotional, so goodbyes were not his strong suit. Something about Xander’s presence was so comfortable, however, and Laslow couldn’t stop the confession from spilling out of his mouth.

“I was going to tell you after the war, so, I guess that’s now… I’m leaving.” Xander looked shocked, which was fair. Before his face could morph into something akin to anger, Laslow quickly corrected his sentence. “I-I WAS going to tell you that. But, now that it’s all over I… I can’t leave. I have a family waiting for me back where I came from but… I have a family here now as well.”

“A family…”

“Princess Elise and the others. And... You. You’re is my family now. This is my home.” Laslow started crying and he immediately tried to stifle it. There were other people around for goodness sake, let alone the soon to be king of Nohr. His shaking hands grappled at his face to wipe away the wetness as he took shaky breaths. It didn’t Xander more than a few seconds to grab at his wrists and pull them away so that he could lean in to steal Laslow’s lips in his own.

Laslow’s family and friends in Ylisse would miss him. He would probably never see his mother again and that made his heart heavy, but Xander’s strong arms held it up anyway. Laslow could no longer deny he was in love, and that with that love came a whole new family who he cherished too much to leave behind. This was where he belonged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one took place during Conquest. Again, sorry for an inaccuracies or anything like that. But hey, no implied angst this time. They probably lived happily ever after in this one. So that's good. Anyway, thank for you reading~


	3. Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the battlefield no one is safe and you can discover what your truest fears are. Revelations route.

The undead Vallite soldiers were terrifying. Of course, Laslow had fought many of them leading up this moment, but he had never really allowed himself to consider all the ways in which they were the embodiment of nightmares. They were surrounded by an evil, unnatural purple aura that gave him shivers. Their tendency to disappear from sight every once in awhile was unsettling. They had robotic mannerisms even though they still vaguely resembled the humans they had once been. And that wasn’t even to mention the repressed memories of Risen they forced him to revisit. Up to this point, Laslow had easily defeated many of the undead soldiers. This particular battle was perhaps more terrifying because every time he killed one, another would appear out of thin air in its place. It was a never ending slew of nightmares.

The enemy soldiers were not the only thing currently weighing on Laslow’s mind either. It was near impossible to ignore the bodies littering the ground. He stepped around them carefully when he needed to, trying to keep his gaze locked on his active engagements in battle. The fear of looking at this feet only to see the lifeless eyes of someone he loved was unbearable. He found no solace in his sense of hearing. The atmosphere was thick with the signs of battle; metal clinging together, injured humans crying out in pain or worse. Laslow couldn’t afford to recognize sounds of an ally choking on their own blood.

Then, of course, there was the dragon. A massive beast that was arguably one of the most ferocious and terrifying creatures Laslow had ever stood in the presence of, let alone fought. It was close. All it had to do was wrench one of its human sized talons out of the rubble it clung to and knock him over. It could crush every bone in his body without even trying. The smell of it, an ancient musky rotting smell, filled the air and he choked on it. The eyes in the mysterious ball the dragon clenched in its jaw swiveled about menacingly. It was more horrifying than any monster Laslow could concoct for his nightmares.

To say the least, Laslow was petrified. For a man who was fighting in his third war, this was probably the most afraid he had ever been. At least, he thought so, until he heard the loud clatter of an armored person hitting the rubble, the desperate wail of a horse, and a pained grunt that he couldn’t block out or ignore if he tried.

Laslow knew instantly, even without looking as he was currently locked in battle with with a Vallite soldier, that Xander had been knocked off of his horse. It was in that moment that he realized. The zombies, the corpses, the dragon? They were child’s play compared to the feeling that instantly blossomed in his gut.

Laslow had to finish with with enemy currently trying to lodge an axe in his skull before he could even think about running to his liege’s aid. It was killing him inside. Of course part of the reason was because he was Xander’s retainer. It was his job to protect Xander in moments exactly like this one. But there were more personal reasons as well. He was afraid of a future without him. Images flashed through his mind. The promise he had made Xander a few nights ago to stay by his side always. The gentle kisses Xander had peppered all over his face when he said, “Of course I will marry you.” The engagement ring he was currently wearing underneath his blood stained glove.

He imagined burying Xander. He imagined Xander’s pale skin turning ice cold as the life left him. He imagined Xander’s calm face as he laid in a casket, his beautiful scarlet eyes closed from the world forever.

Laslow’s arms were weak as this new brand of fear gripped him. His whole body was shaking with more than just fatigue. His eyes, nose and ears were all burning with emotion and overstimulation. His head was pounding and splitting. He could barely breathe and his heart would not slow down to wait for him. The axe wielder bore down on him with an unyielding strength, his foot slipped under the weight, and in that instant Laslow was sure he was going to die.

Just as he was beginning to accept his fate, the weight above him lifted. Laslow looked up, though his sight was bleary, and saw the Siegfried, an unmistakable weapon, between the blade of the axe and his head. Xander was there, alive and strong. Rescuing him.

That was all it took. One glance at Xander’s focused red eyes and Laslow channeled his fear into his sword, lifted it and thrust into the monster that had attacked him.

\----

After the battle, they found Xander’s horse alive and hiding with some healers. It had, fair enough, been spooked by the dragon attack that had knocked its rider off. Fortunately, Prince Ryoma had been very close to Xander at the time and had managed to stop anything fatal from befalling the Nohrian prince. It had happened within a matter of seconds, and as Prince Ryoma had pushed the dragon back Xander had rushed to the side of his retainer.

Now the dragon was dead. Valla was restored and had joined in a treaty with Hoshido and Nohr. Peace was breaking on the horizon. Another war was won and Laslow was proud of himself. But still, sometimes he had nightmares about that last battle.

The first time it happened was a few weeks after returning to Nohr. It woke him up in the middle of the night. Cold sweat was covering his body, making his skin stick to the sheets he was wrapped up in. With his own eyes, he’d seen the dragon’s claws wrap around Xander, lift him off his horse and crush him in its fist. He’d listened to Xander’s bones snapping, seen the blood pour between the dragon’s fingers. It was all very vivid.

Laslow’s panic attack was interrupted only by the weight of another on the bed. He rotated on his side and was greeted by the expanse of Xander’s bare, broad shoulders. They rose up and down rhythmically with his slow breathing.

Laslow scooted carefully across the bed to be closer to the prince. He snaked one arm under Xander’s side and the other across his chest to hold his fiance from behind. Laslow’s nose was crammed into the little blonde curls at the base of Xander’s neck and he inhaled deeply. Their bare skin stuck together, fused by Laslow’s sweat. He didn’t care. If Xander woke up from all this, he didn’t show it. Laslow fell asleep again with a matter of minutes, soothed by the way his breath matched that of his lover, and the assurance it gave him that he would never have to face true fear again as long as he had Xander by his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> are the vallite soldiers undead? i never got a clear answer on this from the internet. Oh well. Happy Angst Day everyone :)


	4. Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laslow returns to Ylisse with Xander at his side and an important mission on his mind. No connection to previous chapters, Awakening setting.

“Why can’t you stay?” Olivia asked for either the 22nd or 23rd time. Laslow was losing count. “You left Ylisse once already. W-Why can’t your husband leave his homeworld this time?”

Laslow sighed in exasperation. He loved his mother so much and he trusted her. But the true answer to her persistent question had to be delivered… At the right time. And certainly not alone. Xander was in the small drawing room of his parents home chatting with father. Laslow and his mother had slipped away with the pretense of getting tea, but Laslow suspected from the moment she asked for help that she had ulterior motives. He had been correct, of course. She was cornering him.  
“I don’t want to make you feel guilty,” she backtracked, wringing her hands nervously. “I just… I missed you so much and… I don’t think I can bare to lose you again.”

“Mother,” Laslow started. He stepped forward immediately to embrace her. “I’m so sorry. I just hope you understand. Xander and I have… responsibilities in Nohr that we cannot ignore.”

Part of the problem was that Laslow had not told her exactly what those responsibilities were. Particularly Xander’s. He hadn’t told anyone. He was sort of treating this journey to Ylisse like a vacation, and nothing ruined a vacation more than formality and royal duties. When he had arrived he had gone straight to Owain and Severa and made them swear not to tell anyone that his husband was a king. In Ylisse, Xander was just Xander. Laslow’s Xander. He would be lying if he said he didn’t love it.

“Inigo,” Olivia said quietly, squeezing him. “Please, I need you here.”

“Mother, I’ve told you. I would really prefer if you called me Laslow because I-”

At that exact moment there was a loud crash from somewhere in the house followed by the unmistakable cackle of Laslow’s father, which was never a particularly good sign. Olivia and Laslow abandoned their fake attempt at tea in favor of rushing for the noise.

Xander was already on his feet again by the time they entered the drawing room. He was crouched over the remains of what once must have been a wooden chair. It was now a splintered pile of old wood. The blonde looked mildly concerned and, sure enough, Henry was doing nothing to help. He was practically doubled over with laughter.

It wasn’t really Xander’s fault. Olivia and Henry were both on the smaller side. Their furniture was not necessarily prepared for giant, muscular Nohrian war heros. While it didn’t seem to be bothering them at all, Xander looked about as close to heartbroken as Laslow had ever seen him. Laslow volunteered to go buy a replacement immediately. He insisted even, and grabbed his husband by the arm to pull him out the front door before a single protest could be made otherwise.

\---

“Laslow, while I appreciate your desire to fix my own mistake, is buying a replacement chair really the logical solution?” Xander asked as they stepped into the town market. “We don’t have any currency from this world, first of all. And furthermore, your parents will not really be needing any furniture if we are successful in our venture.”

“Of course we’re not getting them a chair,” Laslow murmured. “But I needed to get out of that house. My mother was driving me nuts and I need to reformulate my attack plan.” He took a deep breath and glanced up at Xander. “Plus, it’s an excuse to show you a little bit of my homeworld. We’re only going to be here for a short while after all. Might as well get out to explore while we can.”

That brought a small smile to Xander’s lips. He grabbed one of Laslow’s hands and held it idly as they walked. “In that case, I’m excited for you to show me around. I am eager to see the land that would produce someone as amazing as you.”

Laslow could not contain his blush so he quickly averted his eyes even though a grin was plastered on his face. “Thank you for doing this with me, Xander. I know it’s a risk and you’re probably stressed out about leaving Nohr behind.”

“The country is in capable hands. I am positive my siblings are doing a fantastic job. This means a lot to you, I know how hard it was for you to find two transdimensional stones. How could I possibly let you make the journey alone?”

Their fingers stayed entwined until the exact moment a small gaggle of women crossed their path. Laslow lit up, recognizing them immediately. He dropped his husband's hand and, with no shortage of confidence, said, “I suppose while we’re here it would behoove me to see how the ladies of Ylisse have fared since my departure. I’m sure they’ve all missed me so much.”

Xander didn’t say anything but he did roll his eyes as his husband sauntered up to the women. “Good day fair maidens!” He announced and they turned to face him. “I beg you will pardon my intrusion but do any of you lovely ladies happen to know where I might find the finest tea in town?”

They looked at Laslow and then one by one looked right past him at Xander. A progressive blush spread through their huddle before a striking blonde woman stepped forward and said, “Are you from out of town?” Laslow was confused. She was definitely addressing Xander and ignoring him altogether.

“Indeed,” Xander replied politely. He had an infuriatingly charming grin on his face. “My companion was showing me around town but he seems to have suddenly forgotten his way.”

“We would more than happy to show you,” the blonde offered while her friends giggled. She snaked an arm through Xander’s elbow and started to lead him down the cobblestone.

Laslow wasn’t quite sure who he was more jealous of, his husband or the women. He sighed and murmured to no one in particular, “Is my reputation truly so easily forgotten? They don’t recognize me at all.”

“Inigo,” a woman with a short dark bob hissed at him as she lagged behind the group. “Don’t be rude! Please introduce us to your friend.”

“Oh you have got to be kidding-”

Laslow didn’t get a chance to finish his frustrated thought. Screams suddenly split through the air from the direction of the village. A terrified civilian ran past shouting about bandits and it didn’t take Laslow more than a second to run in the direction he had come from. The village was under attack. Xander ordered the women to get to safety then followed suit.

Laslow had been under the impression that Ylisse was experiencing one of its longest periods of peace in history. Nothing had prepared him for bandits. He was completely unarmed. Fortunately, Xander wasn’t. Even when he wasn’t King Xander of Nohr, he was still Xander, and he was not the type to feel 100% safe anywhere especially in an unknown world. In this case, he had a long knife tucked into his boot.

They rushed first for Laslow’s parents home, but were met with a wall of chaos. Thieves were running in and out of buildings with belongings while ruffians with giant weapons terrorized the people trying to escape. Laslow was panicked for a moment but then saw a crackle of lightning in the distance that was definitely magical and decided his parents were probably okay. They were war veterans. They could take care of themselves. In the meantime, plenty of their neighbors were not soldiers. Xander easily took on every ruffians that rushed at him and handed Laslow one of their discarded swords.

Just when the threat was starting to feel as though it was diminishing, there was a horrifyingly familiar screech nearby. Laslow looked up in time to see his mother, unarmed, being dragged by her long pink braids across the ground by a bandit. Henry was nowhere in sight. Before Laslow could do anything to help her, Xander appeared at the bandit’s side. The offender was down in the blink of an eye and Xander was helping Olivia to her feet. There were several shouts of pain as a crack of thunder rushed through the sky and the remaining bandits fled with singed clothes, Henry trailing calmly behind them with a tome in his hands.

The siege was short lived, but much damage had been done. Olivia was rushed to a local healer with several other injured civilians. No one lost their lives. Word was sent posthaste to Ylissetol about the attack.

The evening wore on and at some point Laslow left the clean up efforts to check on his mother with Henry and Xander. He supposed he should have felt more guilty about it, but he was worried sick about Olivia. When they arrived, they found her sitting up in a cot while a healer checked her vitals. Upon their approach the healer informed them that Olivia sustained no permanent injuries and then excused himself.

“How are you doing Mother?” Laslow asked anyway. He tried to look more composed than he felt.

Tears were dried on her face and she was still shaking but she looked healthy otherwise. “I’m fine. I-I mean I will be. I had a little bit of a headache but they healed it. I think I’m just more startled than anything.”

“And how is your baby faring?” Xander asked without any hesitation.

Laslow was floored. “Wait… What?”

Olivia looked up at Xander with wide eyes but put her free hand on her stomach. She had been wearing baggy clothes all day but as she pressed, to Laslow’s complete shock, a small almost indiscernible bump formed there. His heart started to pound, knowing exactly what his mother being pregnant meant. “He’s fine. How did you know?” she asked Xander quietly.

Xander didn’t even think about his response and with an egregious amount of bluntness said, “An informed guess. The way you have been holding yourself since we arrived reminded me of our surrogate.”

“Your- Wait, what?!” It was Olivia’s turn to shout and Laslow sighed. So much for waiting for the right moment.

“Mother, Father,” he started slowly, exchanging only a brief glance with Xander who looked completely serious. “Xander and I… Are having children.”

Olivia gasped and Henry clapped. “Children, that means more than one, yeah?”

Laslow nodded. “Twins.”

“Two grandbabies and one baby baby. That’s three babies! Olivia, we are literally going to be up to our necks in babies!” Henry laughed boisterously. Olivia did not seem as thrilled.

“We won’t get to see them. They’re in your other world, aren’t they?”

Laslow fidgeted nervously and avoided her eye contact for a while. “Well, yes. I mean, they’re not born yet, but the surrogate is in Nohr and they’ll be here in a few months. That’s why we have to go back soon. We felt bad leaving her as it is but… Well…” He trailed off nervously. Fortunately, Xander sensed his hesitation and quietly reached for one of his hands. The fidgeting stilled as he let his husband anchor him and he looked Olivia in the eyes. “I didn’t want to raise my children knowing that they would grow up and never meet their grandparents. That’s why we’re here. I wanted to invite you to return to Nohr with us.”

There was silence for a moment then Olivia started to stammer. “W-Why can’t they just come here?” The panic was welling up in her. Laslow was sympathetic, but he also wanted to stand his ground in this matter. He missed her too much.

He was about to give her some excuse that didn’t give away anything too important, but Xander stepped in before he could speak and, for the third time since they had arrived in Ylisse, ruined everything. “Laslow, did you not mention to your mother that we are royalty?”

“You are WHAT?!”

“I am the King of Nohr,” Xander answered calmly.

“Xander…” Laslow groaned. He stole his hand back so he could rub his face in embarrassment. “This isn’t really how I wanted them to find out.”

“Inigo, be more polite, he’s a KING,” Olivia hissed at her son, which just made him groan again.

“Well, I think we should go,” Henry piped up, cheerful as he could be (which was pretty damn cheerful). “It’s not like either of us are from Ylisse anyway. What are we holding on to? Isn’t home supposed be where the family is or whatever?”

“But we know nothing else about that world,” Olivia pleaded. “Our son… Our little Inigo will be…”

“I can assure you, Ma’am, Nohr is a land of a peace,” Xander said. “As long as there is a crown on my head your child and your grandchildren will be safe there. And treated like royalty.”

“Mom?” Laslow asked tentatively. “Please? Will you think about it?”

Olivia fell silent. She stared at her own stomach for a long time before looking up at Laslow’s face. He couldn’t quite read her expression. Maybe she was thinking what he was; if baby Inigo grew up in Nohr, he would not be anything like the man standing before her. He would probably grow up to be a completely unrecognizable man. But then, wasn’t he going to already anyway? An Inigo that didn’t lose his parents in his youth was bound to live a different path than himself.

Laslow, as that was the name he preferred to be called at this point in his life, the name he would insist his parents use in Nohr, the name he would not share with the infant growing inside of his mother, kneeled next to Olivia’s cot and grabbed her hand. “As long as he has you, I am positive he will be the happiest child in the whole universe.”

Olivia was silent for only a second longer before a weak smile broke out across her face and she squeezed Laslow’s hand. She looked at Henry and nodded, then exchanged a look of admiration with Xander before looking into her grown son’s eyes. “Okay Ini… Laslow. Let’s go to Nohr. Together.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy if you thought my Fates knowledge was a little shaky wait till you see my Awakening knowledge. I haven't even BEATEN that game lol.
> 
> Also sorry the pacing on this is a little rushed. I just wanted to upload this so I could go to @dorkpatroller's house for dinner tonight guilt free. *cough*casual name drop*cough*
> 
> Tomorrow is the last day of Marxlow week HOW DID IT PASS BY SO QUICKLY


	5. Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laslow has never fought in a war before, but he's certain he could do anything as long as Xander was by his side.  
> Modern AU.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I bumped the rating up to m bc I use the word ‘naked’, not sure if that counts as anything but well there it is. There isn’t any hot steamy sex in this chapter, just some implied stuff I guess?

After months of having strange dreams, there finally came a time that Laslow woke up from a nightmare so ferocious he immediately flew into an upright sitting position. He wheezed and cried out in shock. One of his hands clutched at his chest as if he was going to be able to reach his racing heart and soothe it.

Fortunately his sudden panic did not go unnoticed. The production had effectively roused his bedmate. “Laslow, what’s the matter?” Xander croaked, sitting up just behind him. His voice was hoarse with fatigue. It rumbled through Laslow’s core and in literally any other circumstance he would have thought it was sexy. But it was still very comforting. He took a few deep breaths to calm down before attempting an answer.

“I just had the weirdest dreams.”

“A nightmare?” Xander asked.

“Not exactly. They were stressful sometimes, but there was more than one. A bunch of dreams all clumped together. And they all felt so real, like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.”

Xander twisted just a bit to reach across the bed for his night stand where his phone was charging. A quick press of a button showed that it was still early. Before five. They had several hours before either of them owed any obligations to the world, so he sat back up and fixed Laslow with a look of mixed sincerity and gentleness. “Do you want to talk about them?”

Laslow hesitated but only for a moment before he nodded his head. He took a deep breath and started out slowly. “There was a war. Well, several wars. The medieval type with knights and swords and horses. It was all very foreign and weird, except sometimes there were people I recognized like my parents and your siblings. They came and went but you were always there. And every single dream had fighting in it. I killed people. I’ve never even touched a real sword in my whole life!”

As the tale went on, Laslow’s storytelling ability was still trying to catch up to his sleep deprived brain. He left out major details and skipped around but still Xander hung on every word. The blonde absently wrapped an arm around Laslow’s stomach and pulled him into his lap so he could drowsily lay his face on Laslow’s shoulder as he listened. When the silver haired man started to frantically obsess over the prominent violence of the dreams, Xander laid a soft kiss on his bare skin and murmured, “There is no war, Laslow. You have never been in the army. You don’t have to fight anyone.”

Laslow appreciated the consolation efforts, but after elaborating on his dreams he was shaking. They were just SO vivid. He’d had realistic dreams before but nothing like that. Nothing that had felt so completely and unequivocally true. He placed a hand over the one holding him and snuck his fingers in between Xander’s as he said quietly, “In one of my dreams, you died. I tried to save you, but I didn’t make it in time and you died.”

Xander tugged on Laslow and twisted their bodies so that he could lay his lover back onto the sheets of their bed and crawl on top of him. He braced himself by one hand on the side of Laslow's face and gazed down at him with a loving, if tired expression. His eye contact was intense. It made Laslow blush but he couldn’t have broken away if he wanted to. “Laslow, look at me. I’m right here. I’m alive. It was just a dream.”

“I know,” Laslow said after swallowing. “But at the same time… It was so real. It’s hard to describe but I feel like it wasn’t just a dream. It was almost like… This is going to sound crazy. But it was almost like we actually lived those lives.”

“How is that possible?”

“I don’t know! Reincarnation? String theory? Alternate universes? There could be an infinite number of reasons. I just… I don’t think they were just dreams, Xander.”

Xander must have recognized the desperation in Laslow’s tone because he didn’t fight back. He pondered the suggestion then slowly asked, “Were we together in all of these dreams?”

If Laslow had to pick one common denominator, other than the violence, he would say it was Xander. Xander was always there. His rock in the face of constant hardship. “Yes.”

“Remember that,” Xander said decisively. His free hand, the one not propping him up, cupped Laslow’s face and he leaned down just little until he could finish. “Next time you have those dreams, don’t pay any attention to the violence or the tragedy. Just focus on me. I may not be there for long, but I will always be there. I promise that no matter what life we are living, what world we are inhabiting, I will always find you and I will always love you.”

To say that Laslow was overcome with emotion in that moment would be an understatement. But he couldn’t think of anything to say, so he wordlessly linked his hands on the back of Xander’s neck and properly pull their lips together. They were both still naked from the night before when their bodies pressed flush against each other. Laslow squirmed under Xander’s weight but didn’t try to escape. They touched and tasted with experienced hands and enthusiastic tongues.

Laslow was filled to the brim with Xander. He was overflowing with love. And it was in that moment that realization struck him. This was what it felt like to be soulmates. The fate binding their souls was so strong that even if they were born in different eras or worlds apart, they would always find each other. No matter what tragedies other Laslow’s in other lives had suffered through, they always had Xander for however brief a moment. And those moments were always certainly the best ones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Xanlow week was literally the most fun thing in the entire world. I'm a bit rusty with writing, but I think this was a good way to get started again. And it was my first ship week ever, so yay!
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone who read this and left kudos or commented! And thank you SO MUCH to all the other artists and writers and programers and whatever else that contributed to Xanlow Week. This ship is so good, so pure, thank you for letting me roll around in it for 5 days. <3 <3


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